


rewrite the rulebook

by seaofolives



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: 5+1 Things, Christmas Fluff, Crushes, Developing Relationship, Falling In Love, Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, POV Ignis Scientia, Pre-Canon, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:40:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28194123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seaofolives/pseuds/seaofolives
Summary: Where do I go when every ‘no’ turns into ‘maybe’?5-times Ignis wondered if Gladio has a crush on him and the 1 time he found out.
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 42
Kudos: 46





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> would you believe it was march one day and almost xmas the next??? anyway this year was really rough for a lot of us and for me personally, idt i'd have managed to stay sane without meeting all the wonderful people i've met in the gladnis and ffxv community. so, as a thank you from me, and bc icn hug u all, the pandemic notwithstanding, and the global postal situation is still effed up, this little fic is dedicated to all of you ❤️ thanks for helping me survive this year! o/
> 
> (title is from one of my favorite gladnis songs _stray italian greyhound_ by vienna teng)

Shivastide—or the season whereupon the Glacian was said to have descended unto the land—was unquestionably one of the most important holidays they celebrated in Lucis, never mind that her dominion lay elsewhere in Eos. Over the years, her faithful had grown, multiplied, and spread out to reach even the drylands of Leide until they had penetrated their traditions. On Shivastide, they celebrated with the act of giving to one another, or making time for the less fortunate, as a way to honor the Glacian’s love and compassion for mankind. On Shivastide, they could also get an extra 20-percent off their online purchases if they used the voucher code _SHIVASTIDE20_ upon check-out. 

On Shivastide, every headline in Lucis would also be dominated by the annual Shivastide Festival that was held in the Citadel in Insomnia, where only a certain percentage of the upper class was invited to grace its ebony halls. 

As if there wasn’t enough pressure to cause the entire block to explode already. Since Shivastide started rolling in earnest, there was hardly a day where the walls stood still without the din of activity, what with preparations being underway. Security for the event had to be double-, triple-, quadruple-checked, every corner, hidden or otherwise, had to be inspected for busted lights and secret cobwebs. The menu changed on a daily basis and somehow, there were always more things to ready the prince for. 

It was enough to put a mild throbbing annoyance at Ignisʼ crown, something that has been bothering him since the last weekend. Never mind that he had literally tried everything he knew about the art and science of relieving stress and headaches—sleeping early, drinking tea, meditating, listening to calming music… 

Short of taking a vacation, really, but who has the time for that? Certainly not him, who was marching out of the Citadel’s main lobby for an emergency meeting with the royal couture because some moron in the team, which was supposed to be filled only with the best experts, had somehow thought Noctis was as small as a 12-year old when they stitched his pants. 

And to make things worse, none of them was mature enough to answer his calls. For the 11th time since that long morning began, Ignis smashed his thumb on his screen and carried his phone to his ear as he turned the corner for the exit—

“Whoah, Ignis!” 

—sending him straight onto a living wall with a solid smack that would have caused him to stumble back if the surprise arrival hadn’t caught him by both his biceps. Ignis’ first instinct was to glare at him for getting in the way when he had absolutely no time to be dealing with someone’s clumsiness—

All that ire melted away the moment those coffee eyes—medium roast, to be exact—landed on him and asked him with a voice weighted with concern, “You okay?” 

If he were watching himself from the outside, Ignis was pretty sure he would have killed himself and pitched his own body off the nearest hill when he greeted his friend with a dramatic _gasp_. The kind that would have suited a romantic comedy perfectly, along with the sound engineers playing up the veritable thump- _thump_ of his heart which only ever came to pass when he was within the vicinity of exactly one man: “Gladio!” 

“Yup, that’s me.” Gladio beamed with a tight smile. Cue audience swooning. 

It wasnʼt even like he had a crush on the man, gods damn it. They’d known each other since they were practically children, had worked together for just as long and even played together when the cry of the youth became too much to be contained by duty. So it would be _weird_ to _actually_ think about their friendship at an entirely new level that was _hardly_ professional. Never mind that Gladiolus Amicitia had always been good-looking and smart and strong and dutiful and kind and giving and funny and intelligent and handsome and diligent and respectful and—

“My mistake, I wasn’t looking where I was going,” Ignis breathed out as he stepped back for space. Gladio put down his hands. When he heard the tell-tale shriek of the busy tone through his phone, he cast the last of his glares upon it and ended the call. 

“Same. My bad.” Gladio scratched his head, which would have blessed Ignis with a frontrow ticket to the gunshow but alas, now was not the proper weather for it. Though it did warm his weary spirit to know that the man himself was keeping warm in his thick coat and his scarf despite his inclination to forgo a shirt. “Theyʼre talking about switching up the security on the festival so I had to run all the way here from the ramparts while my dad finishes up my work there.” 

“Seems to be that kind of day for everyone,” Ignis sighed out in sympathy, raising his phone to demonstrate his own calvary. “I have four meetings that will prevent me to sit down for a proper lunch and yet here I am, running to the couture because they’ve somehow neglected to consider that Noct has grown a lot since he was 12.” 

“Oh yikes,” Gladio winced, giving the strap of his heavy gym bag a little toss on his shoulder. Ignis had overstayed his welcome. “Sounds like a nightmare. Couldn’t ask even for 30 minutes just for a quick bite?” Ah, Gladiolus, always such a thoughtful friend. 

“I’ll figure it out.” Ignis hated to dismiss his concern with a wave but this wouldn’t be the first time either of them were faced with this situation and it definitely won’t be the last this week. Also, they both had to get moving. “Well, I must go. Do try and have a good day, Gladio. I fear it is in short supply but we must manage what we can.” With a polite tip of his head, he started off again to the gaping doors—

“Wait!” 

Imagine Ignis’ surprise when Gladioʼs fingers enclosed around his elbow and forced him to do a 270 until he was facing the wide-eyed man who looked as if he’d done something quite unbecoming of him. “What?” 

“Dressed like that?” Gladio spat out. “Ignis, it’s freezing out there!” 

Ignis had the gall to huff before he felt for his lapel and… 

He distracted himself with a personal inspection of his appearance. He had his coat on over his thermal vest and he wore his warmers inside his shirt but something else felt amiss—

Ignis let out a brief, “Ah,” before he clicked his tongue and hissed at his forgetfulness, while he pulled out his skull necklace from under his shirt. His scarf was missing. He’d left it in the office in his haste to get out of there fast. 

“No matter,” he said to the both of them and flashed the slight frown on Gladioʼs face with a prideful smile of his own. “I will be warm enough as I am. Besides,” he dug his coat for his gloves and waved them in front of him. “I have gloves. These should more than suffice.” 

“Ignis, those are driving gloves,” Gladio groaned, tossing his free hand to Ignis’ direction. Seems like he wasn’t about to run out of protestations just yet. “You can’t imagine they’ll keep you warm for long. And they definitely ain’t cut out to keep your throat warm.” 

“Well, I expect it will be quite toasty in the car and the shop, anyway.” 

Gladio tutted at his retort, baring his teeth a little as he shook his head. “Here,” was the only thing he said to him when he started pulling off his own crimson scarf to loosen it. 

And transfer it to Ignis who stood, too stunned to move, as he accomplished several loops of the warm, soft fabric around his neck until he had tied a loose knot at the front. It smelled strongly of wood, musk, clean sweat and just a hint of fresh laundry. 

Now Gladio cast him a satisfied smile as he patted him on his arm. “Now you’re warm.” 

Ignis stammered when he realized it was his turn to speak. “Ah, umm…y, yes.” His free hand went up to press the wool closer to his clavicle, still trying to process the boon he’d just been granted. Suddenly, the world seemed too overbright and the squeaks of damp shoes against the polished floor strangely resembled the twitter of birds on a sunny day. “I, I am, thank you…” It was a struggle to be articulate when your slack jaw refused to cooperate and your heart was beating too loudly in your ear, you could hardly hear yourself talk, much less think. Gladiolus Amicitia had just given him his scarf and… 

Damn. Whatever he meant by that, _damn_. Ignis was aware he was hyperventilating. Any more of this and there would be no way he could deny the fever flushing up to his forehead, the trembling inside him as those blasted butterflies somehow uncaged themselves to beat their wings upon his poor and simple heart. He took another whiff of the fragrance this windfall came with and it was all he could do not to melt like caramel. This was good. This felt good, and felt _too_ good to be true! 

And yet Gladio graced him with another happy smile before he clapped him on his shoulder as he passed him en route to the elevator. Ignis was like a piece of iron drawn to his magnet when he turned ever so carefully to watch him from behind. Gladio had to run the last few steps to the open doors to catch up with Monica and Dustin holding them for him. 

Ignis might have stumbled a little, backwards to the wall as he allowed himself to sigh out a pleasant noise. He took one more sniff of Gladioʼs lingering scent in the scarf as he forced his mind and his body back to the task at hand. It never did occur to him to realize that his headache was gone until later.


	2. Chapter 2

The only problem now was that Ignis was unwilling to give it back. 

Which was rude, of course, and very much not the point of why Gladio had lent it to him for a day, or even far less of it. But there he was, anyway, masquerading it in the Citadel on his way to his office as though it had been given to him. What could he say? It was of fine make, high quality wool and threads (as to be expected from an Amicitia, really), soft to the touch and warm and very comfortable to wear. Also, its red shade brought a little cheer to his otherwise professionally monochromatic outfit of the day. 

So no, Ignis was definitely not wearing it for the memory of Gladioʼs scent in it or how it seems to keep his headaches at bay like some magical relic of sorts. Ignis laid it carefully over one of the outstretched pegs of his coat hanger—where he would keep it in plain sight and remember to return it to Gladio, he said—and joined it with the rest of his outer layers before he started for his desk, humming to some self-composed tune, as if it wasn’t presently overloaded with paperwork in all sorts of shades and sizes. His laptop was also there, his cups and bottles of half-drunk coffee and water… 

And a tasteful brown gift box with a shiny gold bow securing the lid. It was not strange for Ignis to receive a present in this manner, especially during that time of the year. But normally, there was a tag that came with it. 

This one didn’t—though the fact that it made it all the way to that pocket of the Citadel assured Ignis that he wasn’t in for a bad surprise. Ignis was still humming as he dumped his bags and onto his leather office chair so he could slip the ribbon off the lid, and then the lid off the hollow square. There was a black crepe paper inside it. 

And inside that black crepe paper was a pair of knitted gloves, midnight blue with silver and white patterns of snow and diamonds along each their width. Ignis’ song was soon replaced by a tiny whistle of approval when his fingers inspected the texture and the softness of his surprise gift. When he checked the tag, he found out that it came from one of those exclusive stores misplaced in the residential area and nothing more. 

“Who could have sent me this gift?” he mumbled to himself, searching the box for any more clues. It yielded him a note from the Office of the Crownsguard, folded into four:

_Ignis,_

_Whatever it is you say, driving gloves aren’t gonna cut it with this weather. So I bought these for you. I got them on a sale so don’t feel guilty about wearing them, okay?_

_Gladiolus_

Gladiolus! _The_ Gladiolus Amicitia?! But it all made sense, of course—he was the only Gladiolus Ignis knew and he would have access to the Crownsguard’s stationery. He knew about the driving gloves from yesterday and unless Ignis recalled incorrectly, he knew he was looking at his handwriting—sharp and flowy, curvy only in some sections… 

Gladiolus Amicitia gifted him a pair of gloves out of concern. Could he be any more attractive?! 

Fine, so perhaps Ignis actually _did_ harbor something of an admiration for his old friend and the only reason why he was just now allowing himself to admit it was because it would have been _impossible_ not to feel his heart fluttering under such circumstances! He was no fool or liar, least of all to himself, but most of all, he was only human. A young man and quite an eligible bachelor at that! 

Ignis brought the gloves to his nose as he landed in his seat, rolling backwards a little with his weight. They smelled of nothing but yarn, of course, but it was nice to expect Gladioʼs perfume while it lasted. When he was content with that discovery, he brought the pair to his chest where he could hug it to his heart. How sweet, how utterly _sweet_ of Gladiolus Amicitia! 

Ignis had to hide his face behind his gift when he felt the tension of a smile pushing up against his cheeks. Him? Having a crush on his attractive, clever, responsible and charming boyhood friend after all these years? His duty would definitely not leave much room for it and that was understandable but… 

But well, maybe he would negotiate this day for himself and his newfound crush.


	3. Chapter 3

Ignis kept it close to him at all times. A sensible decision, surely! Whenever he left home or the office, stepped in and out of his car or the elevator, he made a habit of laying a hand on his right outer pocket where he kept the pair at all times if he wasnʼt wearing them. 

That day, it was pleasantly warmer than usual and not a bad day for a short walk to the nearest coffee shop. Ignis was in such a mood to even find it in him to smile at the Shivastide decorations that followed him down the half-busy sidewalk—flags and balloons in cornflower blue lined with silver, window shops sprayed with white along the edges, or carrying baubles of the same color scheme, dangling under sheer ribbons in the same tone. 

The coffee shop chose a design that mixed all three of those which was a bit much by Ignis’ standards but apparently drew in the crowd. When he stepped through the glass door, ringing the old-fashioned bell with his careful nudge, the first thing that hit him was the line of patient patrons trailing from the front to the bar, their backs heavy with dark coats as they tilted here and there to inspect the overhead menu board. 

The second was a very familiar and fond, “Ignis!” which led him to a large brunet somewhere to the middle of the queue waving him over, his normally teased hair looking flat as if by the workings of a cap. 

Ignis had to gird his heart that was bouncing like a child on a new mattress when he lifted his hand to signal his recognition before he made his way over. A silly voice in him told himself he should have rehearsed his smile and his greeting before he committed himself to his company. 

But even if he did, all of it would have flown out the window the minute Gladio flashed that winning smile that just seemed to make his eyes twinkle like a Shivastide light. “Hey, those gloves look familiar. Good to see you wearing ‘em.” 

“Itʼs a comfortable pair, and quite warm, too,” Ignis replied, as disaffectedly as their nearness allowed him while he showed off the way he pulled them off his hands—with the same care and affection he would transfer a perfect sunnyside up onto its plate. He returned them to his outer pocket, taking one step forward in the line along with Gladio. “It would be quite a shame not to use it.” Especially after he’d returned his scarf to him so now the gloves had taken its place as a happy souvenir and reminder of his friend’s flattering concern. “Coffee?” 

“Thinkin’ ‘bout some hot cocoa, actually,” Gladio revealed, training his eyes up to the items to check. “With whipped cream. Need some sugar and fat to keep me up this afternoon.” 

“Sounds dreadful.” 

“Tell me something new,” Gladio chuckled. He laid a gentle hand on Ignis’ back as they moved up again. They were almost next. “How’s your day look?” Was he going to ask him out?! 

Ignis managed to swallow his gasp, though he could barely move his feet and knees, what with that warm span turning them into liquid by its slightest influence. “Same as usual,” he answered from the back of his throat, hoping to the gods he hadnʼt stammered while he did so. “Meetings everywhere. Teensomnia also wants to do a piece on Noct’s Shivastide fashion,” he pushed up his glasses, “so I will have to drive 30 minutes across the city to deal with that.” 

“In this traffic?” Gladio winced, teeth bared for Ignis’ benefit. “When did we start taking interest in teen magazines?” 

“Since now,” Ignis sighed, with a small flat smile. _Surpriiise_ , it sang. “Being honest, I had been expecting this. He _is_ at the age of idols, after all. Which is why I must attend to this seemingly juvenile request personally.” 

“Got time to eat?” Oh, so Gladio was just concerned about him, as always. _Still_ , how sweet of him to do so. 

The kind gesture truly touched him. “I will have to put it in my schedule,” Ignis huffed mildly. “But there is a hole-in-the-wall I can stop by on my way back. Famous for their beef bowls, I hear. A small ray of sunshine on an otherwise dreary day.” Because the big ray of sunshine was standing next to him. 

“Sounds like a plan.” Gladio grinned, raising his fist so that Ignis could tap it with his, a normally mundane gesture which now filled him with a tickle of electricity for the opportunity to touch his skin. “You gonna try your hand on the recipe?” They moved up again. They were next. 

Ignis tapped the corner of his glasses. “One mustn’t turn down an opportunity to improve on one’s skills.” 

“Ha!” Gladio spread his hand to him. “Just as expected of you, Lord Scientia.” 

Ignis might have done a little curtsy if the barista hadn’t called their attention. Gladio went ahead to order his hot cocoa and a peanut butter cookie while Ignis scanned their offerings. 

“You, Ignis?” 

Ignis pointed upwards to the middle board, where a chalk art of a tall cup of coffee with jelly squares announced a new promo. “Could I have that one as a solo order?” 

“I’m sorry, but the Holiday Duo promo is strictly BOGO.” The barista sounded really regretful when they said that, going so far as to purse their peach-colored lips. “However, we can offer to combine both drinks in our largest cup!” 

Ignis flinched. That would be far too much caffeine even for him, and he doubted he would be able to finish it before the Glacian touched it with her cold breath. “Very well, I’ll just have a regular—” 

“Hey, sorry,” Gladio interrupted him, stepping closer to the smiling barista, “could you cancel my hot cocoa? We’ll just take that Holiday Duo and the cookie. Make one of ‘em extra warm.” From his pocket, he produced his money clip and slipped out a note. 

Ignis stopped him too late with a hand on his bicep; the payment had already been accepted. “Gladio!” 

“Hey, it’s fine,” Gladio laid his own hand on his, “I should be watching my sugar intake, anyway. Iris baked some Food for the Gods two days ago and we totally binged on it.” Oh gods, they were _touching_ —

“Still—!” 

“Donʼt worry about it,” Gladio reassured him with a handsome smile. “Just treat me to coffee some time, yeah?” Well, Ignis supposed that was fair…and if it would give him reason to hang out with him again, then… 

Gods above, this shouldn’t be happening. He shouldnʼt be occupying himself with thoughts other than his work, his duty, his prince but here he was, relenting easily just because it was Gladio. Never mind that he hadnʼt been bothered with headaches since the day he lent him his scarf but—

They picked up their order at the end of the counter and left together. Gladio had to meet with Monica and Dustin somewhere else so he handed him the extra warm coffee, and half of the cookie in a tissue to go with it, before he left. Ignis cast him a look of alarm again. 

“Canʼt fight on an empty stomach, yeah?” Gladio winked at him, stifling any more protests Ignis might think to come up with. “Just something to nibble on when you feel like your energy’s flagging.” And because Ignis couldnʼt come up with anything to stop him with, Gladio waved goodbye and took off across the road. 

_Oh gods,_ Ignis gasped, pulling the drink and the cookie to his chest. He was trapped in a state of wonder as he watched him leave, looking like an idiot as he stood frozen in the middle of a moving sidewalk. _Astrals almighty, did he just…!_

As if that wasn’t bad enough, he would receive a text not long after, as he was making his way back to the Citadel—from no other than the apple of his eye himself: _Wish we could hang out longer but it was nice catching up with ya. Don't let yourself go hungry ok?_ Touching his hand, free coffee, splitting his snack between them, _winking_ , and now a text…! 

Ignis had to catch himself before he swooned and dropped the cookie he was balancing over his coffee, though his eyes still followed the words he read on his screen. Could it be? Could it be that… 

Could it be that Gladiolus Amicitia had a crush on him, too…?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you know what? i realized it's fun to make fun of ignis


	4. Chapter 4

Ignis didnʼt know what he ought to do with this information—but also, everything made sense. Of course, Gladio had always been a thoughtful person—a man in the habit of looking out for his friends and was quite supportive of them, too. He’d always been very demonstrative of his affections, freely touching, hugging, even kissing those who are close to him, no matter the sex and the gender. That was just how comfortable he was with his own person. It was highly plausible, then, that such actions were simply rooted to the same cause. 

And Ignis was just conflating it in his infatuation? But even without his famous logic, he was sure his sharp memory would have reminded him of any instances where Gladio had touched him so warmly, winked at him, texted him out of the blue. They were the kind of friends who never needed to reassure each other of their friendship, never took offense when the other was absent when he was needed. 

_Why the touch? Why the wink? Why the text?_ were ultimately the questions Ignis asked himself but couldn’t answer. And then the scarf, there had been no need for him to wear it so intimately around him, he could have just handed it to him and left him to deal with it. The gloves, so thoughtful and yet, quite the surprise… 

Thoughts that popped like bubbles at the gentle rapping on his office door. “Do come in,” he announced as he guiltily picked up a random folder from the side of his cluttered desk (the latest menu for tomorrow’s food tasting with the royal family), pretending, as one did, that he had been working and not using the time the king paid him for to daydream. He wasn’t expecting any visitors, especially at such a late hour. 

So when Gladio peeked his head through the crack in the door, Ignis felt genuinely relieved to say that he was caught in surprise. “Why, Gladio. You’re still here?” A glance at the time on his laptop told him it was already pushing 9 in the evening. 

“Could say the same to you,” Gladio replied, finally easing the rest of his bulk in his office. _He_ was ready to go home, with his bag on his shoulder, and his coat and Ignis’ favorite scarf on one arm. In his other hand, he was holding a single piece of cookie sealed in a clean plastic. “Can’t take it home?” 

“I try not to,” Ignis confessed, putting down his prop so he could lean back on his seat, the better to gaze up to Gladioʼs height as the man neared his desk. “Especially after I almost fell asleep on the road. The marshal has taught us to know our enemies and my working habit is sadly my own. I know I will not be able to fall asleep for as long as there is work that I can look at, so I eliminated the trigger.” 

“You always know what to do, Ignis,” Gladio chuckled, beaming at his personal assessment. 

It made Ignis’ heart flutter but he concealed it all behind an arrogant smirk as he said, “Please, it’s no special talent.” 

Gladio punctuated his brief cheer with a quiet sigh. “Anyway, I’m going home. But uh…” He raised the cookie, “This one’s for you,” and laid it carefully atop tomorrow’s menu where its perfect golden brown color stood out to appeal to the baker in him. 

As did the rest of its details—the chubby shape of a fork lined with yellow at the top of its head, the brown outline of glasses on its face, the drawing of a button-down shirt and pants and shoes along its star-shaped form—

Ignis couldnʼt find the heart to secret his gasp when he picked up Gingerbread Scientia in his polka-dot plastic to admire the work closely. “Gladio, this is wonderful!” 

“Oh, yeah? Ya think?” 

“Positively!” Ignis went on, now raising his cookie version to inspect the lines under it. “Clean mold, perfect lines, good color.” He sniffed the top of the plastic, tied with several strings of blue and white and silver. “Fragrant, as well. Freshly made?” He looked up to Gladio, whose lips were pulled up to a side in obvious pride. 

“Just this midnight,” he boasted, crossing his arms. “Iris and I didn’t sleep until we got the whole gingerbread army inside their little plastics. That’s from Iris, by the way. Though I helped some.” And that was quite enough for Ignis. 

He smiled at his friend. “Thank you, Gladio. Do thank your sister for me, as well, but I will be calling her personally at home.” 

“Sure thing.” Gladio jutted his thumb over his shoulder. “Well, I’ll be going now. I’ll see ya tomorrow. Take care on the road, yeah?” 

Ignis saluted with Gingerbread Scientia. “Most certainly.” 

He couldnʼt get much work done after that, too distracted by his mini version for much else so he called it a night (all the urgent work had already been turned in, anyway), locked up, patted his coat pocket to make sure Gladioʼs gloves were in there, and finally went home. 

After a quick dinner and a long shower, he made that call he had promised as he sat down on his dining table with some coffee. He picked up Little Ignis to adore him again as the phone rang. 

Iris finally picked up. “ _Iggy! Did you get my gift?_ ” 

“I did,” Ignis laughed softly. “Heʼs wonderful, Iris. I wish I could thank you personally but it’s quite busy in the Citadel these days.” 

“ _Donʼt worry about it!_ ” Iris giggled. “ _I’m just glad you liked it. Gladdy and I spent a-ll night just making the perfect one! I think we must have gone through like a dozen attempts before I finally got his approval._ ” 

“ _His_ approval?” What a funny thing to say—

“ _Se-rious-ly! He was like…Ignis Police or something. Like I know he keeps talking about you a lot and like what you did, what you guys did together,_ ” Ignis almost felt his heart bumping into the back of his throat, “ _what a perfect guy you are so it’s all gotta be perfect and I’m like, but baking isn’t perfect! Baking is real life RNG and even Iggy would know tha—_ ” Iris stopped herself with a deep gasp. “ _Oh no. Oh nooo, I think I shouldn’t have said that!_ ” 

“Why not?” Ignis felt like he was chasing after her as she was running to the bus when he asked her. 

“ _Look, just eat the gingerbread, okay! And tell me how it is ‘cause I used Mama’s recipe but they were out on a date with Papa. That’s all, forget everything else I said!! Blessed Shivastide!!_ ” 

“W, wait—!” Ignis had almost gotten up in his seat to stop her from hanging up, as if he expected to achieve anything by that, but she left him to the monotone of an empty call. 

So Ignis had no choice but to close his side of the line and put down his phone, too, face to the table. And think—actually _think_ about all he’d learned from that brief conversation with his crush’s sister. Who told her that he spoke extensively to her about Ignis, his activities with Ignis, his involvement with her baking project… 

Scarf, gloves, coffee, cookie, text, cookie and now this…did he need more evidence?! Ignis wasnʼt stupid, he graduated at the top of his class, he knew scientific reasoning, he was… 

_Oh dear gods,_ Ignis pressed his hands to his warm cheeks, _he could have a crush on me. I could be his crush!_


	5. Chapter 5

Once and for all, Ignis had to find out for sure. Fortunately for him, Shivastide had an appropriate tradition which he could take advantage of and the setup was easy. 

While the entire Citadel was invited to the Shivastide Festival, the Crownsguard enjoyed their own annual exclusive celebration which they held in one of the many upper floor ballrooms in the east block. Ignis had been spared from being involved in the organization, owing to his duties to the crown prince, but that day was different. That day, he decided to volunteer himself with the ingress to scope the lay of the land and plant something he would need for his own plan. 

After that, he just needed to attend the party. And wait for Gladio to show up. And chat with him and pass him his first bottle of beer which in turn allowed him to reveal that he hadnʼt brought his car tonight exactly because he had plans to drink. Which meant that Gladio would have to suffice with public transportation. Unless—

“Well, I don’t have plans of drinking tonight,” Ignis shared, taking a glass of sparkling juice from the roving waiter in deep blue and white, the only one not dressed in black in a black room full of black uniforms. Even he and Gladio were dressed in the same outfit. “Suppose I drive you home, then?” 

“You sure?” Gladio asked him, pulling again from his bottle of beer. “Won’t I be out of the way from you?” 

Ignis waved his glass carefully. “Nonsense, it will be a quick drive.” It wasnʼt but that was besides the point. 

The point was that Gladio had no reason to say no and as soon as that was established, Ignis was practically home free. So then it was just a matter of waiting, and enjoying himself, and staying on until the program dwindled to a close. And then… 

And then it was the moment of truth. While Gladio stayed on for a little longer to bid goodnight to his friends among the force, Ignis had announced he would wait for him outside, in one of the plush seats that dotted the wide hallway just outside the ballroom, and gather his strength. He couldnʼt say he had achieved much of it by the time Gladio was marching out, beaming brightly as he approached. 

“Ready to go, then?” Ignis asked, presuming confidence as he got up to his feet and walked with his mark towards the lifts, six in a row, facing the grand stairwell. He took the one closest to the ballroom, insisting to himself, though no one demanded to hear his defense, that this was the most natural choice to make and not because he had installed something in it. He stepped through the opening lift doors at Gladioʼs invitation. 

Once inside, he turned around, taking exactly one deep breath as Gladio boarded after him and punched the button for the ground floor, before he looked up as the doors closed. Where he could see the numbers descend and— “Oh.” 

“Hm?” Gladio turned first to him from his phone before he followed his line of sight to find a mistletoe, dark leaves, blueberries and all, fastened right next to the pane of numbers, staring back accusingly at them. “Oh, hey!” Always one to take things by stride, he was soon smiling as if in recognition. The moment of truth. “Who put that up there?” Ignis. It was no other than Ignis Scientia who put that up there. “Guess maintenance ain’t doing a bang up job if they missed this thing.” He sounded thoroughly amused by his intentional discovery. 

Ignis pushed out a chuckle through his chest, readjusting his glasses to go with it, “Unless they were the ones who put it there.” 

“Sounds fair,” Gladio laughed along. “Anyway,” he exhaled. _Anyway_ was the kind of reaction Ignis could say he was expecting from Gladio. 

But it was definitely not the kind of prelude he’d ever imagined he would get before Gladio turned to him and consumed the distance between them with just one step. The shock, despite everything he knew about the man, made Ignis’ reaction natural, at least, as he stumbled back for space, hitting his head with the black polished wall of the car. “G, Gladio—” He was relentless with his approach. “W, what—” Two broad palms pressed upon his biceps as Gladio grasped him gently, warm like the blood pooling up to Ignis’ cheeks. Ignis quaked inside him as those gorgeous caramel eyes beheld him with a smile that only they knew existed between them. This was it. Oh gods, this was it! The moment Gladio had been waiting for to confess his own feelings with the sweetest kiss. The time when he would finally—

—press the fullness of his lips upon Ignis’ forehead, warm and tender, like everything he knew and didn’t know about the man he was attracted to. His world was filled with his scent—lemongrass, musk and wood, clean sweat. A combination that almost made Ignis moan out loud, his insides quailing with want and need, if his overwhelmed senses hadn’t locked his instincts, silenced them as they tried to catch up with all these wonderful things he was feeling—important, soft, alive and floating all at once. Gladiolus Amicitia didn’t simply touch his lips to his skin, Ignis felt it pucker with gentle pressure, long enough to leave a little sound in its wake as he parted from him finally. Ignis was left in a daze, watching him step back behind half-lidded eyes. 

Gladio was still smiling, amber eyes bright as daylight reflected off his coffee. He embodied everything that was good in Ignis’ life right now. The treacherous elevator dinged and the doors opened up. He glanced briefly over his shoulder as he announced, “Here we are. Where’d you say you parked your car again?” Wh—

Ignis’ jaw crashed as he watched Gladio leave, incredulous and stunned and everything else in-between. Where did he say he parked his car again? _Where did he say he parked his car again?!_ That wasnʼt what Gladio was supposed to say after such a tender kiss! He was supposed to…Gladio was supposed to confess that—

He slammed his arm upon the closing doors as he fought his way free and stumbled to the man looking around the empty lobby. “Gladio!” he might have roared to him, filling the vacuum with his growl as Ignis grabbed him by his arm and forced him to turn around and look at him in his shock. 

“Thatʼs it?” Ignis demanded, utterly bewildered. “You kiss me so tenderly after all these affectionate gestures and that is all you say to me? Where did I say I parked my car?!” 

“Uh,” Gladio stammered, eyes fleeting everywhere but never finding their way to Ignis’. “W, was I supposed to say something else?” He couldnʼt believe it. 

Ignis stared hard at his half-nervous look. “You wrap your scarf around me as if it were your business, surprise me with gloves when you didn’t have to, inconvenience yourself just to get me coffee and a share of your cookie, spend all night baking my gingerbread with Iris so he comes out perfectly…” He had to breathe, or try to, but his lungs had turned themselves into stone so that he would be suffocated by his own disappointment. And the bitterness of the injustice, his flagging paper-thin heart, twisted his face as he tossed his hand to the sealed doors of the lift and added, “Kiss me so sweetly in private…do those mean nothing to you? Were they _nothing?!_ ” Had this all been a fever dream? 

Gladio made a sound; he was trying to formulate something perhaps halfway decent, halfway coherent but the turmoil in his eyes told Ignis of how swiftly his thoughts abandoned him one after another. He looked troubled, almost lost…and Ignis hated that it gutted him to see the man like this. “Th,” he finally began, after an eternity, gesturing to Ignis, “the gloves…” Ignis felt a surge of hope— “Y, y’know, if you use the code SHIVASTIDE20 on their online store,” this can’t be real, “same-day delivery is practically free—”

“I am aware of that, Gladio!” Ignis stopped him, desperation scraping at the back of his throat. “Truly, Gladio? Truly, those actions meant nothing more to you than just…” He tossed his hands. “Thoughtful gestures? _Friendly_ gestures? Even the kiss?” He pressed his hand to his chest. “Because I fell for them, Gladio. _You_ made _me_ fall for them!” The biggest tragedy of all. 

But Gladio’s silence prevailed once more. Ignis felt hollow and sore, completely blindsided by how upset he was. 

He shook his head and departed for the backside of the lobby, through which he parked his car. “Iʼm sorry, but please just call a taxi. I…” He carried his fingers to his forehead, dipping his head. “I’m tired.” He refused to look at Gladio even as the man shifted in his feet. “Iʼm sorry. Just…goodnight.” 

“I, Ignis…” Ignis what? It didn’t matter anymore. Everything bright and beautiful had fled from his world and turned it gray. 

And his headache was back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> say it with me now
> 
> densiolus dumbicitia ﾍ(=￣∇￣)ﾉ


	6. Chapter 6

Shivastide was supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, and the festival in the Citadel was as grand as their shallow promises made them seem. It was the perfect celebration to bask in their success, to throw away every pressure that had hounded them with the same carelessness they knocked back their drinks. 

Ignis was nowhere near the mood that kind of abandon required, though, and attended to everything with the same clinical efficiency that he approached his daily tasks with. When Noctis and his personal guest Prompto had tried to encourage him to ‘live a little,’ saying that it was Shivastide and everyone would be forgiven to have a drink or two, Ignis kindly brushed them off by proclaiming his duty required him to be sharp and sober. And not drunk with wishful thinking, illusions and feelings that didn’t belong to him. 

Yes. Cold and hard duty would never let him down. That, at least, was a friend he could read. 

Before long, the party was winding down and several of their guests had started to depart. It would only be a matter of time before the crown prince would ask to be taken back to his apartment where he and Prompto would stay up late for a limited time dungeon run and if Ignis were to be honest, he couldnʼt wait for that either. The night was long and had tired him. The pressure was back behind his eyes and the crowd of elaborate gowns, handsome suits and regal robes was wearisome to deal with all night. 

With a glass of mocktail, Ignis brought himself to one of the balconies looking down the illuminated garden, bright with Shivastide lights and decorations, to get some air. The darkness was good to his eyes, and the quiet solitude soothing to his spirit. 

He shouldn’t have been surprised, then, that it would only be temporary. “Hey…Ignis?” Though the interruption that came for him wasn’t the kind that he was expecting or hoping for either. 

In fact, it came from one he’d been avoiding the entire night. “Gladio,” he greeted the man with as much disaffection as he could muster when he turned to see him lingering uncertainly by the doorway. He was dressed in a handsome dark suit of charcoal and bronze that complimented the breadth of his chest and his shoulders, a tall glass of colored drink in hand. Ignis should have been swooning now. 

It killed him that he wasnʼt swooning, even when Gladio cast him a hopeful smile when he asked, “Can we talk?” 

Well, who was Ignis to deny him that? Especially when supposedly they were just friends, _still_ friends, and he had no right to be heartbroken when Gladio hadnʼt intended for it. So Ignis nodded, though he couldn’t resolve how he felt when he welcomed him. 

Gladio thanked him shyly as he put himself next to him, almost elbow to elbow with him by the balustrade. “So uh…” He cleared his throat, gesturing slightly with his free hand. “You okay?” Oh, small talk. The bane of friendships. Ignis must really be in Friendship Hell now. 

Ignis smiled, exhausted with ceremonies but making the effort to remain sociable. “Yes. Just a little tired. It’s been quite the evening.” 

“Mm?” Gladio looked dull when he offered that questioning sound. It was a second before some light of recognition flashed in those beautiful eyes of his, marked with him saying, “Oh. Yeah,” before he turned himself to the garden, like he was using it as a cover-up, and scratched his shaven sideburn. “Yeah. Yeah, it’s…it’s been quite an evening, yeah. Yeah…” Ignis couldnʼt remember the last time he appeared so bashful. Even if his famous logic still failed him, presumably because it was still hung up by some lingering dream, he couldnʼt remember the last time— “Ignis, look,” Gladio turned to him again, “I dunno how to break this up to you gently but I gotta say it or else I feel like, between myself and my thoughts, I won’t survive the night, y’know?” What was he…?

“I wasn’t asking about tonight,” Gladio went on, breathing out his words as though he was in a race with something. “I was asking you about…I mean that night that you admitted that you fell for me.” Ignis felt himself go rigid at his candor. Damn this daemon, did he have to put it so plainly?! What did he hope to achieve— “I know I hurt you, then. I mean, I didn’t but it bothered me, seeing you like that. And then I realized that it was because it hurt me.” He tossed his hand to him. “I got hurt because you got hurt. Like…the fact that you ever got hurt at all,” that hand moved to his great chest, “hurt me, too.” 

Ignis frowned, hoping against all hope that he was only imagining the thrumming in his chest, as though it was a bottle ready to burst. Not now…not now, he couldnʼt do this to himself, it hurt to be hurt and he had to be over this—

“I couldn’t sleep that night,” the daemon went on. “I knew I needed to apologize but even after I made that decision, I couldn’t be at peace with myself. So I spoke with my sister…and then she dragged in my mom. You know, they’re home from Accordo for the holidays.” Ignis didn’t but what then? “And uhh…” He cleared his throat, though bless him, his gaze never faltered from Ignis’. “They asked me why I felt that way. What hurt me…why it hurt thinking of you that way…what I thought of you, why I…” He spread his hand again, “why I did all those things I did for you. You know, the umm…the gloves, the scarf—” 

“Yes, yes,” Ignis stopped him before he could delay his conclusion further, taking one step closer, bringing himself once more to his perfume. “All of that. So what?” He started to shake his head, looking deeply into Gladioʼs coffee eyes, his furrowed brows. “What is it, why _did_ you do all that?” 

“‘cause I liked doing ‘em,” Gladio revealed. “They made me happy. You know, just seeing you. Just being with you, doing all those things with you, even when we were both busy ‘cause of this.” He cast his drink hand to the party unaware of the conversation that was happening behind the scenes. “Then they asked me if I liked you…‘cause the stuff I was doing, they said I wouldn’t be going out of my way for ‘em if it wasn’t important to me. If I didn’t need it for myself. And you getting hurt, me getting hurt… a, anyway, that,” he scratched his head, “that was when I realized that…that they were right. I like you. Ignis…” He…what? 

Ignis stared at him in astonishment. Those words he had been expecting from his lips the night he kissed him, the ones he had been _dreaming_ about…was he really hearing them now? _Now?_ If he was, then why wasn’t he bursting with joy, brimming with all that was good? This was his victory, his cause for celebration. 

Because it could be another fantasy he was selling himself. Because Ignis didn’t know if he could ever trust his own experiences, anymore, after Gladio let him down so casually. Maybe he liked him as a friend. Maybe he liked him as a colleague. 

“I like you, Ignis Scientia,” Gladio repeated for the benefit of his unyielding doubts. Then he started to laugh, that handsome smile that yearned to melt Ignis like butter brightening up the sincerity that painted his face. “And now that I’m sayin’ this, I canʼt believe it took me this long to actually say it! I thought you were just some guy I was glad to be friends with. You know I really like you.” There he goes again. “I mean,” he pressed his fist to his heart, “even before I realized I got all these feelings for you.” Feelings? Ignis forgot to breathe. “You’re smart, and you’re clever. You inspire me ‘cause you always work so damn hard, to be better at what I do. To be a better version of myself. I thought I was just doing this for myself and my duty…” He shook his head. “Never realized I was doin’ this for someone else, too.” 

“Noct?” _Please say so,_ the quiet jaded voice inside him whispered. 

“You.” Gladio told him, looking into his soul. When did they get so close like this that Ignis could almost smell the citrus notes of his hair cream? “I really like you a lot, Ignis Scientia. And I’m sorry it took me so long to say it, I’m sorry I had to hurt you just to realize it.” He, he… 

“A,” Ignis began, lost in his amber world, “are you sure?” 

Gladio smiled timidly, wearing his apology upon it. “Still can’t believe it, huh?” Well, he had always been a man of action. So if his words failed him… 

Then surely his lips would not, which he pressed flush onto Ignis’, its heat flooding down to the pits of his stomach, at once turning him weak and vulnerable and grounding him to the moment. And Ignis couldnʼt understand why this time, _this time_ , after all those fantasies and analyses and plans to corner Gladio with his feelings, he couldnʼt commit himself to the blazing fever that came from such a simple contact alone. That taste he had of Gladioʼs kiss that night his infatuation was undone, it was but an inkling of everything that he was feeling at that moment: heady, electric, thundering, soaring, everything that was unreal that he could only be too human to grasp. 

And it was gone as soon as it began, before he could even try and capture it with all his knowledge—always the brainy one, always the factual one, him. When he looked beyond his cloudy darkness again as he peeled his eyes, this time Gladio was still standing there, smiling down on him, as handsome as the day he wrapped him warmly in his scarf and his fragrance. 

“You believe me now?” he asked, so gently and sweetly.

Ignis’ brows rose then fell, lips quivering to produce a single, “Uh?” The evening felt like a furnace. He was out of breath and needed more that came from those succulent lips that kissed him. 

Gladio laughed beautifully, smile bright as he set his drink atop the barrier and captured him with a dangerous hand at the flat of his back. Ignis left his own glass somewhere so his hands could grasp his thick arms, desperate for an anchor in this flight of emotions that was moving too fast. “Let’s try that again.” 

“Yes,” Ignis gasped, parting his lips as Gladio lowered his. And this time…maybe this time time—

—this time he could encapsulate the taste of Gladioʼs heat, spice and cloying sweetness as they met anew, and this time Ignis would be damned if he couldnʼt indulge himself into the moment. Couldn’t feel the scruff of his beard along his rough palms and fingers as he pressed himself deeper into Gladioʼs wonderful mouth, his cocooning heat as those great arms snaked around him. Until he was secure, trapped in his affections, a captive of his heart. He liked him, Gladio said. 

And now he believed him, as Ignis pulled from the kiss, drew in a great breath and pushed them back together again though it almost felt like they had hardly budged a millimeter from each other. His arms found a nest at the back of Gladioʼs strong neck while he massaged those gorgeous lips, so full and gentle. He should have been disappointed that that heady electric feeling was gone, but in its place he found something else that was careful and loud all at once, terrifying and addictive, tender and desperate and everything else that came with it. He realized, then, that there was no way he could ever put Gladiolus Amicitiaʼs lips to words. Ignis hated the ambiguity of it, but gods, he forgave him all too happily for it. 

Time felt like it had barely moved when they eased apart once again. Ignis could hear his heart in his ears, his breath as he tried to chase it while gazing on to Gladioʼs plush red lips. Something drew his attention to the party. 

Noctis and Prompto stood in insurmountable shock, staring and gaping in their own ways though Noctis had his (parted) fingers over Promptoʼs eyes and Prompto had his hand over Noctis’ mouth. 

Of course. Of course they weren’t alone, what were they…what was Ignis… 

They cleared their throats and created a distance between the two of them, hands brushing down their sharp suits, pulling a little here and there. Ignis righted the midnight purple bowtie on his neck. 

“Yes, Noct and Prompto?” he proceeded as normal, though the evening felt clammy and cool against his secret fever. 

“G,” Prompto pointed to Gladio first, “Gladio…” He redirected his hand to the flustered Ignis, “and Ignis…w, when…since when?” 

“W, we’re still workin’ on it,” Gladio sputtered, wiping his hands on his slacks. He tossed one to Ignis’ direction, a gesture that compelled Ignis to nod. “But we uh…yeah, we um…” 

“We’ve reached an understanding,” Ignis finished for him. “I…do apologize for the surprise.” 

“Tell me about it,” Noctis mumbled, still looking on in suspended belief at the two of them. “Um…Ignis, can we go home now? And then…maybe you two…” 

Ignis whirled at Gladio who nodded to him. “Yes, very well. W, will you join us, Gladio?” 

“Yeah,” Gladio said, hands rising and falling along his sides. “Sure, sounds great.” 

“Okay,” Ignis smiled, his heart swelling at the thought of being in the same space as Gladio, and this time with permission. This time, without concealing his thoughts and his feelings. 

After a few quick goodbyes, the four of them left the grand ballroom and boarded the elevator heading down to the lobby. 

“So uh…” Noctis turned to face his retainers by the back wall of the lift, scratching his head as he asked them, “this is just a new thing? Between the two of you?” Well, of course, he should have expected this conversation. 

“Yes,” Ignis answered, glancing at his special someone. Suitor? Boyfriend? So fast! The thought made him blush. “J,” he cleared his throat, dipping his head as he adjusted his glasses, “just as we mentioned, we are still working on it.”

“Uh-huh.” Noctis looked at each of them. “Sure it’s not just a holiday thing?” The holidays, after all, made couples out of individuals who sought for something warm and sweet to fill their cold, gray days. Something Ignis couldnʼt blame them for now, having tasted it. Could he call it one, though? When, as it turned out, they had been harboring such affections with each other for longer than either of them could tell? They just didn’t know what to call it yet. 

Well…until now, that is. “Nah,” Gladio told the prince, smiling slightly at Ignis as he took his hand in his and squeezed it. Ignis smiled back for it, seeing only the light in his amber gaze as he entwined his fingers tighter around his newfound love. “Think it’s more like…a Shivastide miracle.”


End file.
